Electric time-switch



M. H. RHODES.

ELECTRIC TIME SWITCHI APPLICATION FILED JAN. 17. 191 9.

Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

M. H. RHODES.

"ELECTRIC TIME swncn.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 17. 1.9.19.

Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2-.

INVENTQR. fffffi/wd'es. BY 6/ a7 ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Mgmct s HALL moons, or, COLEMAN, cnoacra.

ELECTRIC TIME-SWITCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that'I, MARCU/S HALL RHODES, a citizen'of the United States, residing at Coleman, in the county of Randolph and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Time- Switches, of which the fdllowing is a specification.

This invention relates to electric time switches and more particularly to a switch designed especially for employment in an electric light circuit and constructed to antomatically open the circuit at a predetermined period of time subsequent to manual actuationiof an -element thereof. For one reason oranother it is frequently desirable to locate a wall switch at some point in a large room, hall, orcorridor more or less remote from an exit door from the room, hall, or corridor, and where a switch is so located and is of the ordinary type, the person actuating'the same to extinguish the lights must proceed in the dark from the point of location of the switch to the exit. This is annoying if a number of articles of furniture or pieces of machinery must be passed on the way to the exit, and under some conditions it mightbe dangerous to proceed in the dark. vTherefore the primary object of the present invention is to provide a switch of the wall type which may be actuated in the manner of the ordinary push button switch to immediately close the circuit through the lights but which. when actuated for the purpose of opening the cir cuit, will be automatically delayed in its operation fora predetermined period of time, thus enabling the person actuating the same tore oh the exit before the lights are actually extinguished.

Another .ob ect,of the invention is to so construct the switch that the means for retar-ding its automatic operation to breakthe circuit may be adjusted so as to determine with certainty the period of time which will elapse between manual actuation of the switch, for the purpose of opening or breaking the circuit, and the actual throwing open of the switch.

further object of the invention is to so construct the switch that the retarding thereof may'be adjusted so as to provide for flinstantaneous opening of the switch when actuated for this purpose" so that if desired; the lights may be instantaneously Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 28, 192() Application filed January 17,1919. Serial No. 271,762.

energized and instantaneously extinguished as in the use of the ordinary switch.

The switch embodying the present invention includes in its structure switch mechanism proper including an actuating element and which element is in turn actuated by a trip member adapted to be manually moved in a direction to trip the actuating element to close the switch, means being provided for influencing movement 'of the trip member in the opposite direction or, in other words, in a direction to trip the actuating element to open the switch, and there being further provided means'for retarding the movement of the trip member in the last mentioned direction and a detent member for coaction with the trip member to restrain the same against movement in such direction. The detent member is manually operableto release the trip member, and in this combination of parts the invention coni templates the provision of means providing for a positive release of the trip member upon manual operation of the detent member so that sudden or quick operation of the said detent member and its release for return to normal position cannot result in a re'ngagement thereof with the detent member to prevent the desired automatic operation of the switch. I v

A further object of the invention is to so construct the switch and particularly the switch mechanism proper and the tripping means therefon that the throwing of the switch blade will be accelerated, thereby providing against arcing, the switch mochanism, so far as concerns the elements thereof which are in the electric circuit, being furthermore wholly independent,- of the means for tripping the mechanism so that there is no possibility, from this source, of the occurrence of a short circuit.

In the accompanying drawings: Fi ureil is a' per pective view of the time switch embodying he presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in side elevation vand partly in section illustrating the switch mechanism, one side of the casing being removed; i

Figf3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 3'3 of, Fig. 2 s

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line'a-i of Fig. 3, the parts of the switch being shown in the positions assumed when the switch is closed;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig.4 but illus trating the switch parts in the positions which theywill occupy when the switch s open;

Fig. 6'is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line of Fig. 3;

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of the switch P pel; I

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the detent device.

The-mechanism of the switch embodying the present invention ismounted within suitable casing'indicated in general by the numeralcl, this casing being open at its front but provided with a front plate 2 Se cured in place in any suitable manner permitting of its removal whereby access may be had to the parts of the switch forad justment or repairs. .Ordinarily the casing of the device will beiplaced in a suitable.

pocket formed in the wall, the face plate 2 through'the face plate in position for ma-- lying flush or substantially flush with the wall surface as is usual in switches of this type, the'parts of the switch which are'to be manually manipulated being extended nipulation as will be presently" explained.

The switch proper -is illustrated more clearly in Fig. 7 of the drawings and the same consists in part of a base plate 3 of insulating material which is mounted in any suitable manner upon oneof theside walls of the casing 1. Springcontact fingers 4 and 5 are secured in' any suitable manner upon-the said base plate 3 as, for example, at diagonally opposite corners thereof, as shown in the said Fig. 7, and each of these contact fingers is in circuit with a binding post 6 with which may be connected the respective conductor wires (not shown). A stop pin 7 is associated with the contact finger .5 and isdesigned to limit the movement ofthe switch blade as will be apparent from an inspection of- Fig: 7. '6

This blade isgindicated in general. by the numeral 8 andthe. same comprises a substantially circular intermediate portion 9 which is swiveled as at 10 upon' the base 3 for turning movement, the blade proper comprising arms'll and 12 which extend in diametrically opposite directions from the body 9- and aredesigned to' contact with the fingers 4 and 5', respectively, when. the blade 8 is turned to the'position shown in full lines'in' Fig. 7, thus bridging the contacts and closing the circuit. When the switch blade is turned, however, to the position shown in dotted lines in the said 'figure, the

arms 11 and 12 will be out of contact with the respective fingers '4' and 5 and the circuit will be vbroken. Movement of the switch blade to ,this latter position is limited by means of a stop pin 13 fixed upon the base plate 3 opposite and spaced from the pin 7. The. numeral14 indicates a pin Telement in a manner to be presently exgear segments 18 and 19' respectively, the

arms '15 and 16 pivotally mounted as at 17 andprovided at their pivoted ends with said gear segments intermeshing and the segment 18 being smaller than the segment a pull between the said ends.

19 so that when the arm 16 .is swung about its pivot, the arm 15 will likewise be.swung but more rapidly and through a greater arc.

A spring 20 is connected atits ends to the outer ends of the arms 15 and 16 and exerts Thus as the arms move I in either directi'on past dead center or a'line' passing vertically through their pivots, the spring will act to accelerate the movement 'of the arms. Securedto the outer or lower end of the arm 16 is an actuating element indicated by the numeral 21 and comprising a strip": having terminal fingers 22 and 23 designed to alternately. engage the pin '14 as the arms 15 and 16 are swung in one direction or the their pivots, the finger23 will be brought,

in the accelerated movement of the said -Fig. 7, or the full line position shown in other. These fingers are also designed to be engaged by the trip member of the switch mechanism as will be presently explained, so that the parts being in the positions shown in F ig. 4 for example, and the a arms 15 and 16 being caused to swing about,

arms; into sudden. engagementnvith" the pin 14 thereby swinging or rotatingthe switch blade to the dotted line position shown in- Fig. 5. Likewise when the ,parts'are in the position shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings and the arms 15 and 16 are swung .in the opposite direction through movement of the trip device as will be presently explained, the finger '22 of the actuating element 21 will be brought' sharply into-engagementwith the pin 14 so as to throwv the switch blade .to position bridging the contacts 4 and 5,

as shownin Fig. 7 and in Fig. 4. At this point it'will be understood that due to the fact that 'the gear segment 18 is of less diameter than the gear segment19, thea'rm 1 6 is required to move through but a rela tively short are in order to bring the arm 15 to a position beyond deadceriternvhereupon, the spring 20 will act to complete the movementof the arms in the manner heretofore explained. i i

- "The trip device for causing movementof said end of the the actuating member 21 includesa plunger 24 having a squared portion 25 'fitting sl dably through an ppening 26 in the face plate 2 of the casing so as to prevent rotarear or inner end fits slidably through an opening 27 in one end of a. dash-pot cylinder 28, and has secured upon it a piston head 29 which works in the said cylinder. A spring 30 preferably in the form of a double spiral whereby it may be compressed to a maximum degree and will, under compression, occupy minimum space, is fitted onto the plunger 24 and bears at one end against the said end of the cylinder 28 and at its other end against a collar 30' which is secured by means of a set screw 31 upon the said plunger. For a purpose to be presently explained, an arm 32 extends laterally from the collar 30 and the lower edge of thisarm at the rear side thereof is beveled as indicated by the numeral 33, and the forward side of the arm is formed with an inwardly and upwardly directed bevel 34. A push-button or knob 35 is secured to the outer end of the plunger 24 and it will be understood that pressure may be exerted manually in an inward direction against the plunger so as to move the same inwardly against the tension of the springv 30, the p1st0n head 29 being likewise moved inwardly in the cylinder 28. It will be understood at this point that when the plunger is relieved of such pressure the spring will move the same outwardly in expanding, but this movement will be retarded to a greater or less degree by the movement of the piston head in the cylinder and depending upon therapidity with which air is permitted to enter the cylinder. In order that the admission of air into and the escape of air from the cylinder 28 may be regulated, the cylinder is provided with a vent opening 36 near its rear end and from this opening leads a vent pipe 37 This pipe extends at its'forward end toa point opposite an opening. 38 in the face plate 2 of the casing. The pipe isiexteriorly threaded, and'adjustablyfitted thereto is a cap valve comprising a sleeve 39 and a head'40, the sleeve beingrotatably fitted through the opening 38 with the head 40 located at the exterior of the.ca'sing and immediately in front of the face plate 2. It will be understood, of course, that when the head 40 is rotated so as to tighten the sleeve upon the v end of thevent pipe, the entrance of air'to the cylinder and the escape'ofyair therefrom is'restricted to such'a degree that the piston will move but slowly under the influence ofthe spring 30 so'that the movement of the plunger 24 will be greatly retarded.

On the other haifd when the head. 40 is rotated so as t'o partly unthread the sleeve 39 from the pipe, air will be admitted' more recited.

\ readily to thecylinder and,thus the movement of the plunger "will not be so greatly retarded. Therefore by rotatably adjusting the head 40, the speed with which thepluntion of the plunger. This plunger at its ger is returned to projected or normal position under the influence of the spring30 may be varied to any desired extent. If desired a scale 41 may be arranged upon the ,face of the plate 2 concentric to the opening -ward' limit underthe influence of the spring 30 and under the conditions to be presently Asunder certain conditions to be presently pointed out it may be desirable to freely admit air to the cylinder so that the outward movement of the plunger will not be retarded but the spring 30 will act immediately to move-the same to the outward limit of its movement, the sleeve 39 is formed in its side with an opening 43 through which air may freely pass when the sleeve has been rotated so as to position this opening beyond the end of the vent pipe.

In order that the plunger 24 may be restrained against outward movement when I once shoved inwardly to close the circuit. a

detent member is provided and this member is clearly shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings. The detent member. comprises a lever 44 pivotally mounted at one end as at 45 upon the real-"wall of the casing 1 and extending at its forward end through a slot 46 formed in the face plate 2 of the casing and pro-m vided at its said end with a fingerknob 47 preferably having a beveled or flat upper side 48 indicating that the knob is to be depressed for the purpose of actuating the lever. Pivoted as at 49 in a slot 50 formed vertically"through the lever 44, is a detent pawl 51. The forward or free end of the,

pawl 5] is formed to provide a nose 52 having an inclined upper side 53 and provided at its rear end with a shoulder. 54 which'is inclined slightly rearwardly and which is designed to engage against the bevel 34 of the arm 32 when the plunger :24 isshoved inwardly and the said arm rides over the inclinedupper edge 53 of the said-nose 52. The pawl 51 is provided below the lever/44 with a lip or shoulder 55 designed to engage the under side of the lever and thus limit theupward swinging movement of the] pawl upon its pivot. Theunder side of the lip 55, indicated by-the numeral 56, is inclined downwardly Y and forwardly,.- and a leaf spring 57 is secured at an intermediate point to the under side of the lever 44 rearwardly of the pivot 49, as indicated by 'the numeral 58, the end portion of this spring forwardly of its point'of attachment to the lever 44 bearing against the said under side 56 of the lip 55, and the end portion of the spring at the opposite side of its point of attachment to the said lever being bowed to extend downwardly and bear against the bottom wall of the casing 1.

,'Thus the leaf spring serves to hold the lever- 4 4 bodily swung upwardly upon-its pivot, which movement of the lever is limited by theengagement of its forward end movement-of the plunger the arm 32 will ride at its bevel 33 over the inclined upper edge of the nose 52 of the pawl 5l,'thus depressing or ,Iswinging the pawl downwardly upon its pivot and'until the arm engages behind the shoulder 54- of the said pawl whereupon the plunger will be re-v strained against outward movement. In the meantime the arm "32 will have engaged the.finger 23 of the actuating member 21 and causedthis member to move soeas to swing the arm 16 and the arm 15 to the posi- 9 tion' shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, which movement of the arms is accomplished automatically by the spring 20 as the arms pass dead center, and as this movement of the arms is accelerated, the member 21 will be quickly moved so as to cause the finger 22 to. sharply engagethe pin 14 and immediately turn or throw the switch blade so that the ,ends of its arms will contact with the contact fingers 4 andi5; In order to operate the switch so as to break the circuit, it is only necessary to press downwardly upon. the finger knob .47. In this movement of the knob, the 'l ever'44 will be swung downwardly carrying with it the'pawl 5l and i i disenga'gin the shoulder of the pawl from the arm 3 The spring 30 will then act to impart outward travel to the plunger 24 which movement of the plunger is, however, retarded through the compression of air in the dash-pot cylinder 28 and the restricted admission of air tothis cylinder. As before pointed out, the cap valve comprising the sleeve 39 and head 40 may be adjusted so .as to Vary the extent to which the speed of movement'of the plunger will be retarded '60 -manner above pointed out, the spring 57 under the influence of the spring. 1 Immediately upon actuation of the lever 44 in'the will'act to rock the pawl 5l upon its pivot 49 so that the shoulder, 54 will be imme- 'diately carried rearwardly; beyond the position occupied by it when in engagement with the arm 32. Thus if the lever 44 is actuated in a careless manner or even should it be very quickly depressed and immediately released before any. appreciable motion of the plunger head takes place, there is no possibility of the shoulder 54 of the pawl 51 reengaging with the arm 32 as the lever 44 is swun u )wardl I under the in fluenceof the spring 57 and therefore automatic operation'ot the switch in the manner above pointed out is insured after depression of the said detent lever 44.'

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: A

I 1. In an electric time switch, switch mechanismincluding an actuating element, a trip member for coaction with the said clement, means influencing movement of the trip member in a direction to trip the actuating element to open the switch, a detent for restraining the trip member from such movement, and means for retarding such movement of the trip member.

2. In an electric time switch, switch mechanism including an actuating element, a trip member tor coaction with the said element, means influencing movement of the trip member. ina direction to trip the actu member forcoaction with the said element,

means influencing movement of the trip member in a direction to trip the actuating element to open the switch, means for option-ally restraining operatlon of said trip member, and means for retarding such movement of the trip member.

4. In an electric time switch, switch mechanism including an actuating element, a trip member for reaction with the said element, a spring influencing movement of the trip member in a direction to trip the actuating elcment'to open the switch, a detent for restrainingthe trip member from such movement, j and dash-pot means for retarding such movement of the trip member.

5. In an electric time switch, switch mechanism including an actuating element, a trip member for coaction with the said element, a piston plunger by which the trip member is carried, a cylinder in which the piston of the plunger works, means for restricting the entrance of air and its exit from the cylinder, a spring upon the plungerbearing against one end of the cylinder and against a fixed portion of the plunger and influencto trip the actuating element to open the switch, and a detent for restraining'the trip member from such movement.

6. In an electric time switch, switch mechanism including a blade and-an actuating element therefor, the blade having an abutment element for engagement by the actuating element, a trip member for coaction with the actuating element to move the same a predetermined distance, means for moving the actuating element a further distance at an accelerated speed, means influencing movement of the trip member in a direction to trip the actuating element to open the switch, and a detent for restraining the trip member from such movement. 4

7. In an electric time switch, switch mechanism including a blade and an actuating element therefor, the blade having an abutment element for engagement by the actuating element, a trip member for coaction with the actuating element to. move the same a predetermined distance, means for moving the actuating element a further'distance at an accelerated speed, means influencing movement of the tri member in a direction to trip the actuatlng element to open the switch, a detent for restraining the-trip member from such movement, and means for retarding such movement of the trip member;

8; In an electric time switch, switch mechanism including a blade, arms mounted for swinging movement and having intermeshing gear segments, a spring extending between the free ends of the arms, an actuating element carried by one of the arms and having terminal portions, a pin upon the switch blade engageable by the terminal 1 portions of the actuating element, a trip member movably mounted and arranged for coaction with the said terminal portions of the actuating element, means 1nfluencing movement of the trip member in a direction to trip the actuating element to 0 en the switch, a detent for restraining t e trip member from such movement, and means for retarding such movement of the trip member.

9. In an electric time switch, switch mechanism including a blade, arms mounted for swinging movement and having intermeshing gear segments, the 'gear'segments of the arms being so relatively proportioned as to provide for more rapid movement of one arm and through a greater are than the other arm, a spring extending between the free ends of the arms, an actuating element carried by one of the arms and having terminal portions, a pin upon the switch blade engageable by the terminal portions of the actuating element, a trip member movably mounted and arranged for coaction with the said terminal portions of the actuating element, means influencing movement of the trip member in a direction to trip the actuating element to open the switch, a detent for restraining the tripmember from such movement, and means. for retarding such movement of the trip member.

10. In an electric time switch, switch meohanism including an actuating element,

,a trip member for coaction with the said element, means influencing movement of the trip member in a direction to trip the actuating element to open the switch, the trip member having an arm, a pivoted manually. operable lever, a pawl carried by the lever, and a spring yieldably holding the lever rocked to position with the pawl in the path of movementof the arm of the trip member, the said pawl being pivotally mounted upon the lever and the said spring serving also to yieldably hold the pawl rocked to the limit of its movement in a direction to engage with the arm of the tri member. A

n testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

MARCUS HALL RHODES. [L.s.] 

